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The Telling Game: Poker's Other Cards

In Poker, there are two sets of cards. The first, of course, are the actual playing cards; the other, your opponents. Just like your cards, the way your opponents behave and their mannerisms can be read like a book. In every table, there is probably someone who talks too much, someone who don't seem to know how to deal his cards properly, and someone who either slumps and shakes at the flop of his cards. If you're old hand, this can translate to your advantage. It's up to you to decipher what that means. But it sure does take time and patience to be able to read them all.

To a poker player, a smirk, a nervous little laugh, or a cough is a dead giveaway. These reactions serve as mirrors of their cards, at least if you read them right. In poker, this is called a "tell".

A tell is anything but intentional. A poker player subconsciously reacts consistently on the cards he gets on the flop. Essentially, a tell is born out from the rules that have been governing the actions of our lives. For example, our teachers, parents and every grown up told us when we were kids that telling the truth is better than a lie. That maxim becomes imbedded in us and becomes the foundation of how we react and does things. We grow up being programmed not to lie. And that program does not go away while in Poker. The impending result for this is a poorly constructed bluff. In short, here's another maxim for you: the truth hurts in the card table.

Some fine examples of a tell is a player who is asking the dealer how much he can raise. For a trained observer, that player is either stupid or desperate. Another sort of tell is a sturdy bluffer. The player's so sturdy that his hands are steady as a rock, but when he gets good cards, he feels excited and his hand begin to shake.

Other tells can be spotted on how players throw their chips for a bet. Some players throw their chips aggressively when he's trying to bluff; while a sloppy throw might read that he's reluctant for calling the bet. Another tell, which is a usual reaction, is posture. A player slumped in his chair is usually holding bad cards; while someone who suddenly straightens up got a good hand. But be careful, these players might just be acting it out.

So a word of advice to would-be poker players is: Don't look at your cards being dealt. Instead, watch the faces and the movements of your opponents who are looking at their cards. Check your cards later.